A Guide to Barbecue in Maryland: A Work in Progress

This is a call for assistance.

As many of you know, I volunteer with the Campaign for Real Barbecue to identify and certify barbecue places in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia that cook in the traditional manner, exclusively with wood. (Brick and mortar locations only.) Well, actually it’s Virginia and the Washington area, but I take a pretty expansive view of the Washington area. Things have gone well in Virginia, with 24 places on the list and several more to be checked. That was enough for me to post a legitimate list of the Ten Best Barbecue Places in Virginia.

I need help in Maryland. I’ve found very good Barbecue in Maryland, and I’m eager to find more. Do you know of any restaurant — at a fixed location — that cooks barbecue exclusively with wood, without any gas or electricity? And this is Maryland, so barbecue includes pit beef and any other meat or smoked fish.

In truth, my personal interest extends to food trucks (if they’re good, they may find permanent sites, and I’m happy to eat in the meantime). In real serious truth, I’m interested in any place that makes real good barbecue or any other good food. I should acknowledge that cooking with wood doesn’t guarantee good barbecue (see here, for example), and cooking in part or entirely with gas sometimes results in very good barbecue. (See here.) The Campaign for Real Barbecue celebrates the craft, or art if you will, of cooking over wood. The blog celebrates all sorts of foods.

Here’s what I have reviewed so far, by county:

Prince George’s County

2fifty in Riverdale Park (On my January 2022 Best in the Washington Area list.)

Federalist Pig’s Fedmobile in Hyattsville (On my Best in the Washington Area list.)

Rolling Rib Part II in Upper Marlboro (On my Best in the Washington Area list.)

St. Mary’s County

Smokehouse BBQ Shack in Mechanicsville (On my Best in the Washington Area list.)

Sweet Blue Smoke in Callaway.

Calvert County

Pinky’s Eatery in Owings.

I really liked both Sweet Blue Smoke and Pinky’s Eatery, by the way. You definitely should try them.

As you can see, things are pretty thin outside of Prince George’s County and Southern Maryland. That’s due in part to my travel patterns, no doubt. (I’ll insert a plug for the lamb barbecue at the Silver and Son food truck, which uses a gas-assisted cooker. But, oh, the ambience is good!) I’m hoping for more eyes, ears, and palates to expand not only the all-wood list, but for more good places to eat.

All suggestions are welcome. Please share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

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